The field of the present invention is vehicle simulators.
Conventionally, a simulation apparatus is known wherein a simulation motorcycle and a CRT display are combined and the screen of the display is changed in accordance with an operation of a steering handle or an accelerator so as to enjoy riding itself in an actually driving sense or perform training of a riding operation. An improvement of a riding simulation apparatus of this type has been developed wherein a motorcycle of the type can be rolled in order to cause the riding feeling to further approach an actual riding feeling and enhance the feeling of realism upon running. The art of this type is disclosed, for example, in the official gazette of Japanese Patent Laid-Open Application No. 61-154689 or in the official gazette of Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open Application No. 62-1688. A riding simulation apparatus has also been developed which can perform not only rolling but also pitching and yawing and proposed the same as Japanese Patent Laid-Open Application No. 4-51081 "Riding Simulation Apparatus for Motorcycle". See also U.S. Pat. No. 4,887,967.
In such riding simulation apparatus, running is simulated in accordance with a video image on a display screen disposed in an opposing relationship to the simulation motorcycle, and when such apparatus is to be used for training of riding of a motor cycle, there is the necessity of further simulating an actual riding condition. For example, when a riding operation such as changing of a riding way or passing of another vehicle is to be trained, with the conventional apparatus described above, there is a problem that, since a video image corresponding to the riding operation is not reflected on a back mirror of the simulation motorcycle, the training lacks a little in reality. Thus, the latter "Riding Simulation Apparatus for Motorcycle" proposed by the present applicant proposes a solution to the problem.
The riding simulator disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,887,967 displays pictures representing running conditions, taken beforehand to the rider mounting a motor-cycle which is moved mechanically. Therefore, the riding simulator is not necessarily able to make the rider experience actual running condition of the motorcycle.
The riding simulators disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Nos. 2-158939 and 2-158940 display pictures reflecting the movement of a simulated motorcycle to a rider mounting the simulated motorcycle, which enables the rider to experience simulated running condition closer to actual running condition.